SUSTAINABLE SONOMA UNITES SONOMA VALLEY'S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY UNDER ONE SET OF SHARED GOALS. THIS COMMON AGENDA WILL ALIGN AND SUPPORT ACTIVITIES THAT COLLECTIVELY BUILD A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY.

Report and Strategies on housing in Sonoma County and Valley

Relevant report: "Sonoma County Housing Emergency Update"

Here are the key findings just published by the California Housing Partnership. For context, Sonoma Valley has about 10% of Sonoma County's population.

Cuts in Federal and State funding have reduced investment in affordable housing in Sonoma County by more than $42 million annually since 2008, an 88% reduction.

Sonoma County needs 16,296 more affordable rental homes to meet current demand.

Renters in Sonoma County need to earn $44.13 per hour, nearly 4 times the State minimum wage, to afford the median asking rent of $2,295.

76% of extremely low income households pay more than half their income on housing, compared to 0% of moderate income households.

Strategies for improving housing in Sonoma Valley

Sustainable Sonoma is exploring what strategies can be most effective at improving housing in Sonoma Valley. Some interesting possibilities:

Sharing existing homes. Sonoma Valley has many under-utilized larger homes, and many people needing a home they can afford. SHARE Sonoma County screens and matches both parties for mutual benefit.

Working with deeply experienced developers who live in Sonoma Valley and want to see homes built that benefit their own community.

Public planning for the Sonoma Valley of the future, in detail, including the dreaded CEQA analysis of impacts, so that both residents and developers have certainty about what will happen.

What do you think of these strategies? What other strategies do you think Sustainable Sonoma should explore?